An evening routine
by Freedom Rose
Summary: A cute little one-shot about Lord Stark who tries to bring his children into bed... Family-Stark-fluff!


Hello :)

This is just a one-shot that popped up. I think it is because I like to imagine how the Stark family was before everything happened and how they were as they had nothing to worry about. At least nothing that would go on beyond Winterfell. So I hope you will enjoy it :)

* * *

Lord Stark sat in the great hall looking around the table. His whole family, including Jon and young Theon, were sitting there. He was busy all day and hadn't seen everyone this morning at the table. Jon was already up in the stables at the time his lord father came into the great hall. Last night had the first snow fallen. Something which confirmed very much importance to the children.

Jon was with Robb and even with a shy Theon out in the forest for the whole day, playing n the snow, riding in it. Arya, who crept away from her Septa joined them later, except Sansa. She was as always a darling and stayed inside the castle, inside the warm rooms, sitting with her Septa and mother and sewed or played quietly with her dolls.

Young Rickon was also with them, but Bran got his little brother after his lessons were over and they joined their frozen and wet siblings in the forest. It took their father and Jory almost two hours to find them, but he couldn't be angry as he saw how much fun they had. Even Theon played with them, although he didn't dare to throw any snowballs at Arya or Bran and Rickon, which used Arya shameless to throw one ball after the other at the poor boy.

It was the first time in his staying that Lord Stark had seen him smiling or hear him laughing. He was in their custody for almost two months now, but he still looked down when he saw how someone examined him and spoke only when asked. Ned felt how the boy stifled when he sat next to him, or when he asked him about his day. Ned tried as much as possible to bound him in, but it was hard when Theon obviously didn't want to. But now he saw his most serious son, called Jon, and his charge how they throw balls at each other, joined by a laughing Robb and Arya who sprung on Jon's back, leading them both to fall in the snow, Jon's whole face covered in it.

Arya gave off a winning howl and sat on her poor brother, throwing another fits of balls to Theon. Robb came his younger brother for help, pulling the wild beast from him and clipped her under his arms. Rickon laughed and spun himself around in the snow, while Bran run to Jon, trying to use his chance to get him down again, but failed miserable. Lord Stark laughed silently and turned his horse.

"It looks like you are enjoying the snow children!" Everyone looked up; Ned had to pull himself together not to laugh at their expressions, especially Jon's and Theon's. He turned around to switch a look with Jory who laughed loudly at the scene of the two boys before him. Theon was two years older than Robb, but he was as shy as Rickon when it came to talk or to interact with someone. Maybe he still feared that he would be killed and that Lord Stark would send his head back to his father, or maybe he just missed his remaining family and home. He came from the sea and not from the northern. But he would have to live with it now and to play with the Stark-children would be a start.

"Come one, it's getting dark and your mother is already waiting for you." Arya grumbled, but Jon took her piggyback and started to run back to the castle, Robb did the same with Bran and the started a race. Rickon smiled and turned to Theon, but he just looked at him in shock, he didn't know what to do. Lord Stark saw the cautious expression on the thirteen year old and made a quick decision. He took Rickon in his arms, swung him around and kissed his forehead as his youngest son giggled and smiled in return. He turned around at Theon who followed him a few steps behind him. Lord Stark sat Rickon on his horse and walked back to the castle, underway he found his remaining children, who were again in entrapped in a snowball fight. "It is enough for today, we will go home!" Even Arya obeyed at the stern voice of her father, she was pouting lightly, but found distraction in trying to switch the branches of trees covered in snow into Robb's face. Ned laughed warmly at the sight. He counted himself a lucky man.

* * *

As Lord Stark looked at Sansa he blinked at her and turned to his wife again. They talked about the upcoming winter celebration and what was to do until. "We should order more candles, now where the days are getting shorter and how dark it can be. Only the gods know how many you used last year only in your solar!" "I know my love, I will talk with our chamberlain about it." "And we need more furs! I sorted out the old ones, but Arya needs more...What is it Ned?" She turned around and followed her husband's wife. Ned smiled softly and Catelyn joined him as she saw the scene in front of her. Their youngest, Rickon, was already asleep. His face settled down at the table, which was under the circumstances that he was only three years old nothing new, but it was a cute sight none the less. But Eddard's look settled down at Theon, who sat at the end of the table, as far as possible from the others without looking rude, his head bowed down, looking clearly asleep. Never before had Lord Stark seen Theon falling asleep at the table. The boy was much too afraid and would never feel comfortable enough in their presence to relax so much to fall asleep in front of them and to show any kind of weakness. Not once had Eddard seen him cry in front of him, but in the middle of the night, when he made his round through his childrens' chambers and when he crossed his door he would hear the boy, calling out in his sleep, crying for his lost brothers and mother. He chuckled lightly and even Catelyn's smile got wider. She looked at the other children.

Robb was discussing the pro and contra of a new fight step with Jon they both learned from Jory this morning. He could hear out that Jon beat his oldest son again but Jon would never tease him with that, he was much too polite for it. Arya tried to interfere but Sansa stopped her and soon they were fighting their never-ending-sister-fight again. Bran leant tiredly against Jon's shoulder, almost asleep. "What did you do to them?"

"I did nothing my love. It is the winter!" "You mean the snow..." Ned laughed and leant forward over the table. "Theon...Theon you may be excused if you want to and go to your chambers." Theon startled and looked at him with wide eyes. Everyone starred at him, Jon and Robb stopped their discussion and even Sansa and Arya cut their fight. Theon blushed and looked down, as he saw how Lord Stark looked at him, but he didn't seem to be angry or annoyed.

"No...no Mylord. I...I am fine." He sat up, and got another mouthful of his juice. He just waited until everyone stopped looking at him. He hated it. He hated it to be here, and yet he couldn't help himself to enjoy the day he had. He would never confess it but he loved to play in the snow. It was new to him, he never saw any of it before and last night he spent hours looking out of his window in the night just to watch the snow falling from the sky like feathers.

Lord Stark smiled at his wife and took Rickon into his arms, he was already so deeply asleep that he didn't recognized it. He loved bringing his children into bed, to share the last moments of the day with them together. He couldn't do it often but sometimes he tried to find the time and tonight he finally found it. As Lord Stark lay his youngest gently down into the small bed, right next to Catelyn's and his chambers, he tucked him in and kissed his forehead gently, not to wake him. Once he woke up it was hard to bring him back to sleep. As Ned went back he heard how Catelyn tried to convince Arya and Bran to go to bed. Bran was just like Rickon when it came to this. He panicked slightly when someone told him to go to bed, like he was afraid, although he know that there was no reason to do so.

Arya oppressed a yawn, but it was too big to hide so Lord Stark took her at his hand. "But that is not fair! I am older than Bran!" "I will take Bran to bed and then I will come to you." He took Bran on his other hand and pulled them both gently but determined out of the hall. "But you have to tell me a story!" Arya demanded. "Of course, I will do!" "But not some stupid story about a prince saving a maid! I want some with dragons in it! And about Nymeria the warrior princess! And not the same story like yesterday!" Ned laughed about his daughter's determination. "Aye warrior princess. Go on and wash yourself, I will be there any minute."

Bran was so easy to handle once he laid in bed. He slept almost instantly when Eddard tucked him in, the day had knocked him out. "Goodnight father.", he heard him murmur. "Sleep tight son. Tomorrow will be a new day and you can play with your brothers and sister outside again."

As easy it was to bring Bran to bed it was a challenge to tuck Arya in. He wasn't jealous of his wife or the Septa when they had to do it almost every night and to be honest sometimes the thought of fighting a battle was easier than to handle his youngest daughter. Arya was not ready as he came to read her a story. She had a iron helmet on her head and throw punches with her wooden sword through the air, fighting some invisible enemies. Only the goods new where she had that sword... "Arya! To bed with you!" "But I am not ready and I didn't even prepare!" Lord Stark sighed and took the helmet of his daughter's head. "Up with you!" He shooed the little girl into the conterminal washroom and helped he to wash and dress into her nightgown. "What is about my story!"

Ned sighed again and took a seat next to her on the bed, trying to imagine a story that would fit her. It took him almost an hour until he peeled himself carefully away from Arya, as she slept deeply at his side. Arya groaned but she didn't wake up and Ned thanked the Gods silently.

The next time Ned made his way back into the great hall only his wife and a deeply asleep Theon were sitting at the table. Robb and Jon had moved in front of the open fire and Catelyn just enjoyed watching them and drinking her last summerwine. It was rare that Ned saw how she looked at Jon with that relaxed and friendly expression. And it was that way he loved her the most. He wished he could frozen the picture. "Sansa was already tired. She went to her room and asked if you could read her a story." Ned nodded. "Of course. I will go to her, right after I took care of him." He threw another glance at Theon then he turned to his wife. "Looked like he had a rough day." She nodded. "I've never seen him so relaxed before. It is not like him." "Maybe he finally starts to warm up a bit." Catelyn frowned. "Maybe."

Ned walked forward, first he was unsure how to handle the situation, but then his instinct with children came over. He gently pulled Theon up and caught him as he stumbled, trying to coordinate moving his legs over the bench he sat on. Lord Stark had both hands on his shoulders and towed him out of the hall, the boy was more asleep than awake and would have fallen to the ground if Ned wouldn't have hold him upwards. As they reached the stairs he pulled Theon up, in his arms and carried him the rest of the way into his chamber like he did with Bran before. The boy didn't say anything. He wasn't sure if he was dreaming or not, but he didn't care, because for the first time since he was in Winterfell he felt safe and sound.

Ned lay him carefully in his bed, taking the heavy blanket and covered him. He froze as Theon began to stir. He didn't know how to handle the situation when he would awake. "Sh go back to sleep boy. Nothing will hurt you tonight. You have my word, Theon, that no one will harm you here." He stroke calmly through his hair and waited until the boy felt asleep again. Although the young boy was a Kraken and meant danger, he was still a child. It doesn't matter where he came from.

* * *

The next one he brought to bed was Sansa, although he had to confess that it didn't really count because Sansa was already asleep, still holding the book of fairytales in her hands. As Ned took it carefully out of her hands she woke up: "Father?" "Good night my princess." "Won't you read to me?" "But you already slept my love." "Please father! Just a bit." "Alright." Ned sat next to her and Sansa snuggled into his side. He hadn't finish the first page of another story where a knight would rescue a beautiful damsel in mistress as he recognized that Sansa felt asleep again.

* * *

The next one he carried upstairs was Jon. Although he was not allowed to mention it under any circumstances to the lad in the next morning or to anyone in general, he took his son into his arms and carried him the rest of the way. Robb followed them quietly much to tired to say anything else. They still shared a room, although Catelyn insisted that Robb, as the future heir, would have a room on his own, but Ned hadn't had the heart to separate them, when they clearly didn't want it. But he had to confess that with the age of ten, almost eleven, it was time that everyone got their own room. He would gave them two new rooms, next to each other, on the other corridor. But that would bring up another problem because right next to them slept Arya and she would threaten to burn the whole castle of Winterfell down when her favorite brothers would get rooms which were not next to her anymore. Ned didn't want to think about it anymore, he wanted to enjoy the moment and not think about massive future problems.

He laid Jon down and kissed his forehead, sitting next to him on the bed. Jon looked so much like him that it scared Ned sometimes. But then he could see so much of his sweet sister in the boy that it pained him. But right now Lord Stark saw the tiny, little baby he had in his arms as he rode back to Winterfell all this years ago and a wave of love and protectiveness overcame him. He run his hand through Jon's black curls and to quieten him back to sleep like he did so often before. "Robb are you ready?" A positive answer came out of the washroom and his oldest son went to bed. Lord Stark turned to him, as he was sure that Jon was covered in his furs and blankets, and pressed his oldest son shortly at his chest. "I don't think that you need a story or?" Robb played hurt. "Yes?! What about my princess!" His father laughed and ruffled his hair. "Goodnight son. Sleep well." "You too father." Lord Stark blew the candle out and closed the door.

Catelyn was still awake as her husband came into their chambers. She sat up and smiled at him. "That took quite long my love." He grinned back and climbed into the bed to her kiss her passionately.

"Well, I have so much respect for you of what you do every night!" She laughed and slapped him playfully. "Stop it Ned!"

He kissed her lips and started to caress her neck, her breasts. "Well, do you still wanna stop me..?" He was just about to pull her nightgown up and to lay down between her legs as their door cracked open.

"Mommy! I had a nightmare!" Ned sighed deeply, rolling off of his wife. It was little Rickon with his wooden horse Ned had made him. He climbed to them on the bed and Catelyn pulled him in his arms. "My sweet boy it was only a nightmare!" "But it was real!" Rickon started crying and his wife pulled him closer at her chest, throwing a glance at Ned.

"Rickon what was your nightmare about?" "It was about a dragon!" Ned tried not to laugh. "Son, the dragons are gone! They don't exist anymore. The are gone for years now." "But...but..but I heard how Arya told Bran about it...So they are alive!" "Only in her stories son." "Look Rick I can bring you back to your room and I will show you that there are no dragons!"

"Can I sleep with you?" "My love everyone of our children sleeps alone. Go with your daddy and he will make sure, that there are no dragons!" Ned took his youngest boy in his arms and brought him back to his own bed. It took him almost a half an hour until he got him back to sleep and as he was with Catelyn again he started to undress her further, sending kisses down her spine. It was until he heard the well-known voice of his youngest daughter:

"Robb you are a mean oaf! Do you hear me! And stupid!" Catelyn laughed under him, covered her eyes with her hand. "It looks like we still have to wait! You can't imagine how glad I am that you are the one who promised to bring those children to bed!"

Ned bristled and hurried out of the room, to stop Arya from waking up the whole castle. As expected her room was empty and so he walked straight into the boy's room. His little girl stood next to Robb's bed, her hands clenched in fists. "What's going on here?"

Both flinched as they saw their High Father coming into the room. Lord Stark lowered his voice as he saw that Jon was still deeply asleep. He didn't even stir. He had to be really tired, because otherwise Jon would be the first to wake up.

"Arya what are you doing here? Robb why are you not asleep?" "I wanted to sleep but this little midget tries to...!" "He stole my book and I want it back!" "I did not!" "Would you two please be quiet! Your brother is asleep and I don't want you two to wake him. "But he has stolen my book!" Arya fought still with Robb, but luckily quieter now.

"Which book?" "My dragon book you bought me for my last name day!" He sighed and groaned at the same time. "Arya sweetie is it important to look for it now? You should be asleep in general!" "But I don't want to sleep until I found my book!" "And why shall I have it! You could have lost it everywhere!" "It is here! Give it to me!" "Be quite both of you!" Lord Stark looked at Jon who began to stir in his sleep.

"Arya you will go to bed now!" "Not without my book!" "Why shall I have it? Maybe it was Bran?" "But I left it here after I talked to Jon! But I can't find it here anymore!" "You see?! So you had put it somewhere else. Arya it is in the middle of the night I want to sleep, get out of my room!"

"It is Jon's room too! Give me my book back! You have it!"

Ned shook his head and started to look through the room, as quietly as possible. He knew he wouldn't find any peace in this night when he won't find this damned book. As he walked over to Jon's side, he saw a book, popped under his pillow. Curiously he got nearer and saw that it was THE book. He smiled and pulled it carefully under Jon's pillow. He would have read it the day before. Lord Stark gave it to Arya who beamed instantly.

"Father? What is it?" Ned turned around and kneeled down to look Jon in the face. "It is alright son, go back to sleep. Arya just wanted her book back." First he looked confused, his face still dizzy with sleep, then it dawned him. "Sorry, I forgot to bring it back to her, it lay here and I read in it last night, I must have forgot it..." "Everything is alright Jon, rest now." He stroke gently through his hair and waited until his eyes closed again.

"Now you have your book- so you can go to your room and sleep finally!" Arya made a quick bow and run out of the room. Ned sighed and turned to his boys- Jon was already asleep again and Robb sat on his bed. "Seriously father! Are you sure that this wild creature is my sweet little sister?!" Ned shrugged his shoulders. "Yes, I am sure. After all I was with your mom as she gave birth to her so...Sleep well son." He blew out the candle again and left the room.

As he went to go to Arya's room she sat on the bed with her book reading quietly. "Arya put the book away and sleep! I won't tell it twice." She moaned. "Just this chapter!"

"No!" "Then just the next page. It is so exciting right now!" "Arya! You know that you are not allowed to read by candlelight in the middle of the night! It will still be exciting in the morning!" She moaned again but this time she obeyed and put the book aside. "And I don't want you to make such a terror in the middle of the night again, is that clear?" "Yes father..."

"Good. Then try to sleep again." He kissed her forehead and tucked her in. As he made it into his own chamber again he saw his beautiful wife already asleep, so he lay down next to her and waited until sleep would also overcome him. The time passed but sleep didn't come easy. So he stood up again and walked down the corridor, going into every chamber of his children. He did it often in the middle of the night when he couldn't sleep or just when he wanted to make sure that everyone he loved was alright and unharmed. Little Rickon slept peacefully and Bran had pulled his covers down. Lord Stark smiled to himself and pulled them up again, covered his shoulders with it. Sansa, always a darling, slept soundly and even Theon looked calm and something between satisfied and happy. Maybe things would be different in the near future. Today had been a good start.

As he made it into Arya's room he half expected to catch her reading secretly but her bed was empty. He frowned. This girl would be the death to him someday. Before he started to panic he would look in Robb's and Jon's room. He made his way fast but calm and opened the door quietly. He first looked at Jon who lay on his stomach, his face buried into his furs, looking so relaxed like he did only when he was deeply asleep.

He looked than at the other bed, where Robb lay on his back and in his arms the little Arya, with her face pressed in his side and one arm around his stomach. It looked like they both had made their peace shortly after he left. With the feeling that the world was alright for now Ned went back into his own bed, pulling his wife close to him who lay her head on his chest, smiling in her sleep. Ned pressed a slightly kiss on her cheek and closed his eyes. He was lucky to be blessed with such a family. That was the last thought before he felt asleep.

* * *

So that's it. I hope you liked it. Maybe it was a bit too OC but I think that Lord Stark is/was a wonderful father and as that the children will always remember him. Please review and share your opinion. I love to read it!

Until the next time!


End file.
